"Temporary" Protected Status extended until 2010 (El Salvador)

The government conducts "Temporary" Protected Status programs under which hundreds of thousands of those who are fleeing natural disasters, political turmoil, and the like get to stay in the U.S. on a "temporary" basis. And, oddly enough for a "temporary" program, its specific instances keep getting renewed when they expire, as they were in May 2007, February 2006, and earlier. However, it might not be available for all countries and all incidents; Alcee Hastings (recently in the news for despicable comments) wants it for those from Haiti (link). On the other hand, FAIR thinks the whole program should be terminated (link).

The latest extension of the "temporary" program for those from El Salvador follows our beloved president George W. Bush meeting with that country's president Tony Saca. Here it is in all its absurdity (whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/09/20080924-2.html):

...PRESIDENT BUSH: I want to let my friend know, and the people of El Salvador, that the United States will extend TPS status to El Salvadoreans living in our country. This is a decision that was made to improve the lives of El Salvadoreans.

I'm proud to make this announcement with you standing by my side. You've been a very strong and courageous leader, and you have been a friend. And I know this is an issue of concern to you, because you care deeply about the people of your country. And so when you get back home, you can tell the people that TPS has been extended.

PRESIDENT SACA: (Remarks are partially translated.) Thank you very much. Thank you very much, President, for extending for 18 months more the TPS for the people of El Salvador. This is going to benefit our Salvadorian people with -- (inaudible) -- in liberty, in democracy, and in integration.

Thank you very much this morning for this extension.

I'll leave figuring out what Saca meant by "integration" to your imagination.

Immigration2008a · Thu, 09/25/2008 - 09:50 · Importance: 1